WHOS
Encyclopedia
WHOS is a radio station
licensed
to serve Decatur, Alabama
, USA. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications
and the broadcast license is held by Capstar TX Limited Partnership. WHOS is one of five stations in the Huntsville, Alabama
, market owned by Clear Channel. The station is also simulcast on WBHP at 1230 AM in Huntsville, a 106.5 FM broadcast translator in Huntsville, and on WQRV
-HD2 (HD Radio).
/talk
format that serves northwest Alabama
and south-central Tennessee
. The station's current programming is a simulcast of Huntsville, Alabama
, sister station WBHP (1230 AM), "The Valley's Big Talker." The studios for both stations are located in nearby Madison, Alabama
.
Notable local weekday programming includes The WBHP Morning Program with Gary Dobbs and Toni Lowery plus the late-morning The Will Anderson Show. Notable syndicated weekday programming includes Coast to Coast AM
with George Noory
, The Dave Ramsey Show
, Paul Finebaum
of the The Paul Finebaum Radio Network, and The Glenn Beck Program. Weekend programming includes local news and sports, Somewhere In Time hosted by Art Bell
, Fox News Sunday
, and select programming from Fox Sports Radio
.
In addition to its regularly scheduled news and talk programming, the station is an affiliate of the Atlanta Braves
radio network, the Auburn Tigers football
radio network, and the Auburn Tigers men's basketball
radio network.
as a 1,000 watt
daytime-only station broadcasting at 800 kHz. Originally owned by North Alabama Broadcasting, the station was assigned the WHOS call letters by the Federal Communications Commission
. It ran a country music
format for most of its first 40 years.
In February 1987, the broadcast license for WHOS was transferred from Dixie Broadcasting, Inc., to Dixie Broadcasting, Inc. as Debtor-In-Possession. The transfer was approved by the FCC on February 26, 1987. Dixie Broadcasting had filed bankruptcy in an effort to stave off an adverse civil lawsuit outcome regarding the contracted sale of WDRM
to W.H. Pollard, Jr., the then-owner of WBHP (1230 AM) in Huntsville, Alabama
.
In October 1988, the station, which had been airing a Gospel music
format, flipped to an all-Elvis Presley
format using the advertising tagline "WHOS alive?". This novel format garnered the station national media attention but failed to gain a local audience and lasted just six months. After the stunt ended WHOS switched to a simulcast of then co-owned WDRM
and its country music
format.
In January 1992, a deal was reached for the broadcast license for WHOS to be transferred from Dixie Broadcasting, Inc. as Debtor-In-Possession back to Dixie Broadcasting, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on March 26, 1992, and the transaction was consummated on September 15, 1992.
In December 1991, Dixie Broadcasting, Inc., reached an agreement to merge ownership of this station with the ownership of WBHP to a new company named Mountain Lakes Broadcasting, Inc., pending the resolution of Dixie's legal difficulties. In October 1993, with Dixie Broadcasting back in good financial standing and the legal issues settled by the appeals courts, the merger moved forward. The deal was approved by the FCC on November 3, 1993, and the transaction was consummated on November 11, 1993.
In November 1996, J. Mack Bramlett, W.H. Pollard Jr., and Trust B Under The Will Of W.H. Pollard Sr. reached an agreement to transfer control of Mountain Lakes Broadcasting, licensee of this station as well as WDRM and WBHP, to Osborn Communications Corporation. The deal was approved by the FCC on January 29, 1997. In November 1997, WHOS and WBHP dropped their shared country music format for an all-news format featuring CNN Radio 24 hours a day.
In August 1998, Osborn-owned Mountain Lakes Broadcasting, LLC, reached an agreement to sell this station to AMFM Inc. subsidiary Ameron Broadcasting Corporation. The deal was approved by the FCC on October 2, 1998, and the transaction was consummated on November 5, 1998.
In February 1999, AMFM Inc.'s Ameron Broadcasting Corporation made a deal to sell this station to Clear Channel Communications
through their Capstar Royalty II Corporation subsidiary. The deal was approved by the FCC on March 2, 1999, and the transaction was consummated on March 5, 1999. This deal, a small part of a larger $16.6 billion transaction, included all five of the Huntsville stations currently in Clear Channel's Huntsville station group.
and for the short-lived Huntsville Tornado for the 2000-2001 hockey season. Both teams played their home games at the Von Braun Center
and competed in the Central Hockey League
.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
licensed
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
to serve Decatur, Alabama
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County...
, USA. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
and the broadcast license is held by Capstar TX Limited Partnership. WHOS is one of five stations in the Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
, market owned by Clear Channel. The station is also simulcast on WBHP at 1230 AM in Huntsville, a 106.5 FM broadcast translator in Huntsville, and on WQRV
WQRV
WQRV is a classic hits-formatted radio station serving the Huntsville, Alabama, market, which includes counties in northern Alabama and southern central Tennessee.-History:...
-HD2 (HD Radio).
Programming
WHOS broadcasts a newsNews Radio
News Radio can refer to:* NewsRadio, the NBC sitcom which aired from 1995–1999.* News radio, the all-news or news/talk radio format....
/talk
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
format that serves northwest Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and south-central Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. The station's current programming is a simulcast of Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
, sister station WBHP (1230 AM), "The Valley's Big Talker." The studios for both stations are located in nearby Madison, Alabama
Madison, Alabama
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,329 people, 11,143 households, and 8,067 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,266.5 people per square mile . There were 12,121 housing units at an average density of 523.4 per square mile...
.
Notable local weekday programming includes The WBHP Morning Program with Gary Dobbs and Toni Lowery plus the late-morning The Will Anderson Show. Notable syndicated weekday programming includes Coast to Coast AM
Coast to Coast AM
Coast to Coast AM is a North American late-night syndicated radio talk show that deals with a variety of topics, but most frequently ones that relate to either the paranormal or conspiracy theories. It was created by Art Bell and is distributed by Premiere Radio Networks. The program currently...
with George Noory
George Noory
George Ralph Noory is a Lebanese-American radio talk show host.As of 2010, he is the weekday host of the late-night radio talk show Coast to Coast AM. He is heard across the United States and Canada on many AM and FM stations as well as on XM Satellite Radio. His show is one of the most listened...
, The Dave Ramsey Show
The Dave Ramsey Show
The Dave Ramsey Show refers to two programs:* The Dave Ramsey Show , a syndicated radio show on terrestrial and XM Satellite radio* The Dave Ramsey Show , a television program on the Fox Business Network...
, Paul Finebaum
Paul Finebaum
Paul Finebaum is an American sports author, television and radio personality and former columnist based in Birmingham, Alabama. His primary focus is sports, particularly those in the Southeast. Finebaum was born in Memphis, Tennessee and attended the University of Tennessee, where he received a...
of the The Paul Finebaum Radio Network, and The Glenn Beck Program. Weekend programming includes local news and sports, Somewhere In Time hosted by Art Bell
Art Bell
Arthur W. "Art" Bell, III is an American broadcaster and author, known primarily as one of the founders and the original host of the paranormal-themed radio program Coast to Coast AM. He also created and formerly hosted its companion show, Dreamland...
, Fox News Sunday
Fox News Sunday
Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace is a public affairs program on the Fox network, hosted by Chris Wallace and airing on Sunday mornings. The show began on April 28, 1996, which predated the launch of Fox News Channel, and usually talks about items similar to Sunday morning talk shows...
, and select programming from Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
.
In addition to its regularly scheduled news and talk programming, the station is an affiliate of the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
radio network, the Auburn Tigers football
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
radio network, and the Auburn Tigers men's basketball
Auburn Tigers men's basketball
The Auburn Tigers men's basketball program is the college basketball program that represents Auburn University, competing in the Southeastern Conference. The program began in 1905. Though they generally play under the shadow of the football program, the Tigers have had successes on the hardwood...
radio network.
History
This station began licensed operation in October 19481948 in radio
The year 1948 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:*22 March: The Voice of Firestone becomes the first radio program to be aired on both AM and FM radio stations....
as a 1,000 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
daytime-only station broadcasting at 800 kHz. Originally owned by North Alabama Broadcasting, the station was assigned the WHOS call letters by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
. It ran a country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format for most of its first 40 years.
In February 1987, the broadcast license for WHOS was transferred from Dixie Broadcasting, Inc., to Dixie Broadcasting, Inc. as Debtor-In-Possession. The transfer was approved by the FCC on February 26, 1987. Dixie Broadcasting had filed bankruptcy in an effort to stave off an adverse civil lawsuit outcome regarding the contracted sale of WDRM
WDRM
WDRM is a country music formatted radio station licensed to Decatur, Alabama, and owned by Clear Channel Communications. It serves the Huntsville, Alabama, area....
to W.H. Pollard, Jr., the then-owner of WBHP (1230 AM) in Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
.
In October 1988, the station, which had been airing a Gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
format, flipped to an all-Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
format using the advertising tagline "WHOS alive?". This novel format garnered the station national media attention but failed to gain a local audience and lasted just six months. After the stunt ended WHOS switched to a simulcast of then co-owned WDRM
WDRM
WDRM is a country music formatted radio station licensed to Decatur, Alabama, and owned by Clear Channel Communications. It serves the Huntsville, Alabama, area....
and its country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format.
In January 1992, a deal was reached for the broadcast license for WHOS to be transferred from Dixie Broadcasting, Inc. as Debtor-In-Possession back to Dixie Broadcasting, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on March 26, 1992, and the transaction was consummated on September 15, 1992.
In December 1991, Dixie Broadcasting, Inc., reached an agreement to merge ownership of this station with the ownership of WBHP to a new company named Mountain Lakes Broadcasting, Inc., pending the resolution of Dixie's legal difficulties. In October 1993, with Dixie Broadcasting back in good financial standing and the legal issues settled by the appeals courts, the merger moved forward. The deal was approved by the FCC on November 3, 1993, and the transaction was consummated on November 11, 1993.
In November 1996, J. Mack Bramlett, W.H. Pollard Jr., and Trust B Under The Will Of W.H. Pollard Sr. reached an agreement to transfer control of Mountain Lakes Broadcasting, licensee of this station as well as WDRM and WBHP, to Osborn Communications Corporation. The deal was approved by the FCC on January 29, 1997. In November 1997, WHOS and WBHP dropped their shared country music format for an all-news format featuring CNN Radio 24 hours a day.
In August 1998, Osborn-owned Mountain Lakes Broadcasting, LLC, reached an agreement to sell this station to AMFM Inc. subsidiary Ameron Broadcasting Corporation. The deal was approved by the FCC on October 2, 1998, and the transaction was consummated on November 5, 1998.
In February 1999, AMFM Inc.'s Ameron Broadcasting Corporation made a deal to sell this station to Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
through their Capstar Royalty II Corporation subsidiary. The deal was approved by the FCC on March 2, 1999, and the transaction was consummated on March 5, 1999. This deal, a small part of a larger $16.6 billion transaction, included all five of the Huntsville stations currently in Clear Channel's Huntsville station group.
Former on-air staff
Notable former WHOS on-air staff include George Rose who, along with his alter-ego "Cousin Josh" character, hosted "The Cousin Josh Jam-O-Ree" on several North Alabama radio stations in a career than began in 1948 and ended with his death in 2006.Former programming
WHOS and sister station WBHP were the broadcast flagships for the 1999-2000 final season of the Huntsville Channel CatsHuntsville Channel Cats
The Huntsville Channel Cats was a professional ice hockey team based in Huntsville, Alabama. The franchise was a member of several different leagues, the Southern Hockey League , the Central Hockey League and the South East Hockey League...
and for the short-lived Huntsville Tornado for the 2000-2001 hockey season. Both teams played their home games at the Von Braun Center
Von Braun Center
The Von Braun Center , known as the Von Braun Civic Center until 1997, is a multi-purpose indoor arena, meeting, and performing arts complex, with a maximum arena seating capacity of 10,000, located in Huntsville, Alabama...
and competed in the Central Hockey League
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
.